Abby Barrows Meyer

“a mother who loses her child can no longer believe in God”
― Victor Hugo, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame

“A man is always a little shamefaced on his wedding day, like a fox caught in a baited trap, ensnared because his greed overcame his better judgment. The menfolk laughed at Charlie that spring day, and said he was caught for sure now. As the bride, I was praised and fussed over, as if I had won a prize or done something marvelous that no one ever did before, and I could not help feeling pleased and clever that I had managed to turn myself from an ordinary girl into a shining bride. Now I think it is a dirty lie. The man is the one who is winning the game that day, though they always pretend they are not, and the poor girl bride is led into a trap of hard work and harsh words, the ripping of childbirth and the drubbing of her man's fists. It is the end of being young, but no one tells her so. Instead they make over her, and tell her how lucky she is. I wonder do slaves get dressed up in finery on the day they are sold.”
― Sharyn McCrumb, The Ballad of Frankie Silver

“I wonder which is worse-the death, not knowing what comes after, or the wedding, when you think you know, but you're wrong.”
― Sharyn McCrumb, The Ballad of Frankie Silver

“...children have the resilience to outlive their sufferings, if given a chance.”
― Ishmael Beah, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier